News | Sponsored parish council
downsmail.co.uk
Beer cricket facilities ‘vital for club survival’
BEARSTED Parish Council hopes to give the village cricket club a help- ing hand to improve its practice and training facilities.
The Villager
Bank bonus BEARSTED is in line for a cash
windfall, thanks to the diligence of the parish clerk, Michelle Rumble. The council is to receive a refund of bank charges paid over the past six years – expected to add up to about £3,300.
The bank charges are being re- funded because the council is enti- tled to be on a community account tariff – which comes without bank charges.
Chairman Richard Ash said: “This is good news indeed and the clerk is to be commended on her good work.”
Club grant
COUNTY council leader Paul Carter has put his hand in his pocket to help Bearsted Youth Club. Cllr Carter has offered the youth club £400 towards a project or equipment for the club, from his de- volved county council grant alloca- tion. The money cannot be used to offset matters such as rent, but can be used to subsidise trips or fund a specific project or piece of kit, so the club is to draw up a shopping list of games and computer games which could be of benefit to the teenagers.
Meet warden RESIDENTS can drop in and say
hello to the community warden Adam McKinley twice a week in Bearsted.
Adam will be available to discuss local issues with residents at Madg- inford Hall on Tuesday mornings or on Thursday afternoons at Bearsted library.
Council victory
PARISH councillor Mike Cuming retained his seat on Maidstone Council in the recent elections. Cllr Cuming received 46.8% of the votes (1,509) while fellow parish council- lor Geoff Licence, who stood as an Independent, came in second place with 20.3% (654).
The club is losing many up-and- coming young players, who are being tempted away from Bearsted by better wickets at Hollingbourne and Leeds/Broomfield.
The club needs £8,000 to provide an all-weather wicket but it faces a legal bill of £3,500 in its bid to pro- cure a licence and lease from the council to use the Green, and says its balances have been depleted. The club has been promised a grant of £3,000 from the Lords Tav- erners and has the option of taking a loan from the English Cricket Board, but is still far short of the sum needed to provide the wicket. Club captain Andrew Dampier said: “We are struggling to keep this historic club afloat. We are already losing a good proportion of our young talent to other clubs in neigh- bouring villages who have better fa- cilities. We simply cannot compete.
Without some financial help we are facing a real threat to our survival.” He added: “It would be nice to make the front page of our local paper for all the right reasons!” Bearsted Cricket Club, which is one of the oldest village clubs in Britain at 265 years old, made na- tional news a few years ago, follow- ing a fracas on the Green between cricketers and residents, which led to the current attempt to draw up an official licence. However, protracted discussions
between both parties’ solicitors have racked up large legal bills – and still no licence and lease. As the Downs Mail went to press, the parish council’s finance com- mittee was due to discuss giving the cricket club a grant – and how to conclude the legal battle. Chairman Richard Ash said: “We are minded to look at this request
very favourably – but it is a matter for the finance and policy commit- tee, who will make a recommenda- tion to the next council meeting.” Cllr Tim Licence said: “I believe
we should look at this favourably. It is something which will benefit the whole community.” Cllr Pat Marshall reminded mem- bers that the club, along with Kent Scouts, was to receive a share of proceeds raised at this year’s Bearsted Fair, which takes place on the Green on June 28. At the same meeting, Cllr Ash also agreed to have a meeting with the council’s lawyers, Whitehead Monckton, with a representative of the cricket club present, to get the li- cence and lease signed off. He said: “We thought this was re-
solved in February 2012. There seems to be no good reason why it should not be.”
Cars drive crowds to village green show
MORE than 100 classic cars from across the country converged on Bearsted Green for the annual classic car event.
The farmer’s market was in full swing, with local produce being snapped up by the hundreds of vis- itors who attended the vintage day.
There were car-themed cocktails and food stalls serving everything from chilli to venison burgers. Although the skies were overcast for much of the
day, the rain held off until late afternoon, giving participants and petrol heads plenty of time to check out the vintage, the veteran and the bang-up- to-date vehicles on display.
Proceeds will go to Kent Air Ambulance. Landway lights review
THERE could be a light at the end of the tunnel for residents on Ash- ford Road who have compared the Church Landway lights to “a land- ing strip at Gatwick airport”. Members of the parish council questioned whether 23 individual lights were really necessary, as they had been remarked upon several times by houses which overlooked the path.
The council is looking at in- creased security along the path, to prevent the repeated vandalism and damage to the lights, which is costing the council dearly.
This page is sponsored and edited by:
Bearsted Parish Council
www.bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk
42 Maidstone East June 2014
The latest repairs cost more than £1,000, with the council shoulder- ing a £250 excess. A local electrician has been asked to quote for more robust lighting units and discussions are taking place with the police about CCTV. Cllr Richard Ash said: “It is un-
believable the amount of damage we receive to those lights, when those at Mote Park and MGGS, as two other examples, remain un- touched.” Crime was very low in Bearsted, members heard, with only two crimes committed in April.
Scoop poop
or face fines DOG owners who let their pets foul public footways will in future find themselves falling foul of the law.
New fixed penalty notices have come into force which means pet owners who don’t “poop scoop” can be fined on the spot. The community warden, police and those local residents “in the know” are now on Dog Watch – so careless owners beware!
Council Office: Madginford Hall, Bearsted Telephone: E-Mail:
01622 630165 Chairman:
clerk@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk Richard Ash
MEETINGS HELD SECOND TUESDAY OFMONTH (7.30PM) AND THE PUBLIC IS VERY WELCOME
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64